[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 14 (Thursday, January 23, 2025)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E65-E66]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              HONORING THE LIVES OF NEIL AND SANDI BROOKS

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JOE COURTNEY

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, January 23, 2025

  Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to mourn a devastating loss 
in eastern Connecticut, with the passing of a beautiful married 
couple--Dr. Neil Brooks and his wife Sandi (Silverman) Brooks of 
Vernon, Connecticut. Neil Brooks passed away sadly and suddenly on 
November 27, 2024, at age 82. He was joined less than a month later 
when the love of his life, Sandi, passed away unexpectedly at age 81 on 
December 24, 2024. Neil and Sandi's longtime marriage was truly a 
masterpiece that their offspring, friends, and community will forever 
cherish in their hearts.
  Neil was born in Manchester, Connecticut to Abner and Lenore Brooks 
on November 17,

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1942. Neil was raised in the Rockville section of Vernon, Connecticut, 
where his father was very active in the community in town working for a 
local textile company, Amerbelle Corporation, and personally raising 
money for the super-sized Horowitz Community Pool that generations of 
Vernon kids have learned to swim at--including my two children. Abner's 
example made a big impact on Neil's outlook on helping people and being 
involved in efforts to improve life for his neighbors. Neil attended 
Rockville High School, and then pursued his passion to study medicine, 
attending Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and the Hahnemann Medical 
School. After this, Neil came back to Rockville to practice family 
medicine. As a trusted doctor in the greater Rockville area, he cared 
for many thousands of patients and families in times of crisis and 
healing.
  Further down the East Coast, Sandi Silverman was born in 
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Lou and Mitzi Silverman on March 3, 1943. 
She grew up in the Philadelphia area, attending Germantown High School 
before studying at Temple University.
  Although they grew up with lives in different places, the stars 
aligned when Neil and Sandi met at the wedding of mutual friends, and 
they were married on July 2, 1966. This was the start of a loving 58-
year marriage. Neil and Sandi were partners in all aspects of life, and 
nothing was more important to them than spending time with family and 
friends. They were known as a loyal, dependable couple, always 
providing support in whatever way necessary. In their free time, Neil 
enjoyed golfing and watching movies with friends and Sandi was known as 
a fantastic cook who loved to feed and entertain family and friends.
  Sandi joined Neil in Rockville, Connecticut, where he devoted his 
career as a physician to providing the highest standard of care to his 
patients and community. As if his work in family medicine was not all-
consuming, Neil also served as the President of both the Connecticut 
and American Academies of Family Physicians, President of his 
synagogue, Medical Director at Vernon Manor, and in leadership roles at 
Rockville Hospital and the American Medical Association. His work 
involved lots of medical conferences and political work, which Sandi 
supported diligently, traveling all across the country.
  Despite their busy schedules, Neil and Sandi always prioritized the 
relationships in their lives--between each other, family, friends, and 
anyone else who crossed their paths. I had the privilege to know them 
as friends and supporters in my political campaigns--which always came 
with lots of passionate ideas and opinions that I always learned from. 
Usually, those exchanges took place in a New York-style delicatessen in 
Vernon, with Neil and his morning coffee group solving the world's 
problems.
  At both memorial services, their son David Brooks found the inner 
strength to speak powerfully and eloquently about the rich family life 
Neil and Sandi created. The crowds in attendance were visible evidence 
of the deep impact they made in so many lives. While we mourn the loss 
of these incredible individuals, we can take solace in the knowledge 
that they have been reunited with each other. And, as David stated, 
they left many memories that are blessings for those of us who knew 
them. Neil and Sandi are survived by their son David and his wife Jen 
as well as their granddaughter Emma, who is following in Neil's 
footsteps and studying to be a physician's assistant. They are also 
survived by nieces, nephews, and grandnieces. Mr. Speaker, I ask that 
my colleagues in the House join me in honoring Neil and Sandi Brooks 
and their amazing life story.

                          ____________________